Omaha daily bee., 1887-02-16
Rothacker's lsoorbacks.

indignant that the state senate has re-
fused to take his advice to defeat the new
Omaha charter. To be sure Mr.. Roth
acker will suffer no immediate hardship
as a taxpayer In Omaha, but man OF
his tender sensibiities would naturally
grieve with the oppressed con-
tractors and disgruntled bilks who
hang around the state capital.
While we appreciate the compliment
that he has paid to the editor OF this
paper, we feel compelled TO correct his
misleading statements concerning the
contents of the charter as it passed the
senate. According to Mr.. Rothacker,
Omaha is to be saddlcd with the follow
ing Objectionable charter provisions:
/. A property qualification.
2. A printing steal.
3. A provision allowing city officers to
sell supplies to the city.
4. A provision compelling the council TO
include and place under municipal taxa.
ton thirty square miles OF country.
8. A section continuing the present
system of local control of the police.
G. The concentration of power in the
board of public works.
z. The right to charge any or all
grades beyond the chance of appeal.
Mr.. Rothacker is either lamentably ig-
norant or is merely trying to crawl
through knot hole to cover his re
treat.
First. The property qualification
is generally misunderstood. 1t has
been magnified by Colby and other
common liars into $4,000 of real
estate when the charter says council
men shall give bond of $4,000 for the
faithful performance of their duties.
They are required to be freeholders but
no amount is specified. Even Mr.. Roth.
acker may become councilman under
the charter If he will invest $25 or less as
purchase money in 800 lot. This has
been law for twenty years in every char
ter Omaha has had. The some prop
erty qualification is eXacted from
canvassers of elections in every
city or county in the state. In the Ian
guage of Colby, man might be presi
dent of the United States without being
eligible to canvass the election returns
of a cowboy county IN western Nebraska.
Second. There is no printing steal
in tho charter, and there can
be no fairer law devised for
letting the city advertising All
the hue and cry of readerless papers is
solely gotten up to befog people about
their real grievance on the printing
clause. Everybody must realize that this
paper cannot afford to sell its advertising
space to any patron at the rate charged
by papers that do not circulate and cost
little to produce. To compel the
council to accept the lowest bid
der regardless of circulation would
absolutely prevent bidding by the BEE
and give it to any mushroom concern
that might choose to print a daily in
Omaha. The common liars that have
raved about printing steals have asserted
that the charter gives the printing, re-
gardless of cost, to the paper having the
largest circulation. This is untrue in
every essential particular. The charter
simply provides that every bidder shall
furnish sworn statement OF circulation,
and in awarding the contract the relative
circulation of competing papers shall be
duly considered by the council. In other
NOlu5, - LIC DEE, Win O,OUU Slly
ton, bids fifty cents per square, and the
Republican, with 1000 circulation, bids
thirty cents, the council may award the
printing to the BEE ON account of the rel
ative difference in the value gagged by
circulation. But the council is in no way
bound to award the printing to the paper
having the largest circulation if for any
reason its bid is not considered advantag-
eous. There can be no unreasonable
charge by any paper because the charter
prohibits the council from paying n
higher rate than the lowest price charged
by such paper for advertising to its most
favored patron. This clause is more OBJ
jcctionable to the disgrunted rivals of
the BEE than the requirement to show
up their circulation. While the BEE has
uniform rates to foreign and home
patrons, the other Omaha dailes
carry advertising from abroad at
any price they can get. 1t is common for
them to charge from five to ten times as
much to their Omaha patrons that they
do to foreign advertisers. The printing
swindle IN Omaha is the criminal deccp-
ton and fraud practced by papers whose
agents procure money under false pre-.
lenses from business men. Last, but not
least, the present printing contract gives
the city the benefit Of the present con-
tract rate, which is no higher than the
Herald charged twelve years ago, AS long
as no other contract is made.
Third. Ii is absolutely untrue that any
councilman can sell supplies to the city.
Councilmen are expressly prohibited,
under severe penalties, from being pecu-
niarily interested in any contract work
or letting. See section III.
Fourth. 1t is untrue that the council is
compelled to include thirty square miles
under municipal taxation. While the
right is given, provisions arc made for
gradual extension of tho city limits until
thirty square miles have been enclosed.
Fifth. The present system of appointing
policemen by the mayor and council is
abolished, and commission is substi.
tuted. There can be no more peddlng
out of police stars OF trading in police
appointments by the council.
Sixth The new hoard Of nuhlic work